Sunlime Is Liming On Line This Year
 |
| Dwayne and Whitey (r) |
By Stephen Weir
The Sunlime Canada mas band’s annual costume launch is coming to a computer near you. On Sunday, March 29th, the ever-popular medium sized band will be staging a live fashion show that can only be seen on the Internet.
“ We are trying something new for Toronto, a virtual launch!” said Sunlime spokesman Niles “Whitey” Koski. “ We were going to have a standard launch party and then we decided to be strictly online.”
“ We aren’t doing this because of the Virus. I have been asked that a lot lately,” he told the Caribbean Camera. “ But no, we came up with the idea back in December.”
Sunlime isn’t saying, at least not yet, where the launch will be held. The suggestion is that it will be in a hall in Toronto, where there is enough room for a large stage and professional lighting to make for good Internet viewing.
DJ Toxic and MC Kevin Carrington will be the on-air ringmasters. Sunlime will also have a small live audience - the media, designers and band supporters – but is hoping that carnival fans around the world will log onto the free show. The live feed will be carried on the band’s website (https://sunlimemas.ca/) and on their Facebook and Instagram sites.
The mas camp, run by veteran carnivaller Dwayne Gunness, will have male and female models showing costumes for all body types and sizes. The costumes that will be worn for the broadcast are what carnival goers can purchase if they plan to ‘Jump Up’ at the Toronto Caribbean Carnival August 1st parade with Sunlime. The LBGTQ-friendly band plans to have nine sections performing at the Toronto Caribbean Carnival’s first virtual launch.
 |
| 2019 photo by Berot |
The show begins at 6pm and is expected to last ninety minutes. Following the event revellers can order costumes at Sunlime’s website. For out-of-town purchasers, the camp hopes to be able to soon offer hotel and event ticket packages.
Sunlime will have a real live mas camp, but not just yet. The organizers are looking in Scarborough for a suitable location to build their floats, design their costumes and hold a few pre-parade fetes.
 |
| 2019 photo by Berot |
“Sunlime Canada has developed a core of artisans responsible for the design and construction of costumes and floats,” explained Gunness.
Last year the medium sized band placed seventh in the Grande Parade. Sunlime hopes that the virtual costume launch will spur sales and increase the size of their band to allow them to compete in the large sized band category (1,000+ costumed players).
Sunlime has chosen Unleashed as its theme. What does that mean? “ It is all about the release of all of our pent up energy; the sudden release of an uncontrollable force,” explained “Whitey” Koski. “After months of cold, snowy, slushy, winter hibernation now is the time to let your inhibitions go and energize your life by playing mas with Sunlime!”
Comments